Well, what to say? Due to unavoidable upheavals in my life it's taken a week or two longer than I expected, but I couldn't be any happier with this program. I've always been "bad at exercise", and most of my attempts to improve haven't produced much in the way of results or even lasted very long.

Couch to 5k is different.

I started Week 1 unable to hit all the 60s intervals. I've just finished 30 minutes wondering if I'd got the right time, because it seems so much easier than even the beginning of the week! This program works.

I think a big reason it works is that it builds you up slowly and keeps you at it. The improvement from week to week is not always vast, but over the full 9 weeks the improvement adds up. A big help in keeping at it as been this site. I've greatly enjoyed Fingalo and greenlegs' entertaining and encouraging blogs, following the program at about the same time as me. I think it says a lot for C25K that we all started around the same time, found it tough at the start, and yet have all ended up able to run the 30 minutes.

I'd like to especially thank smhall. Way back at the start I was moping about not be able to do Week 1 properly, wondering whether I should progress or whether it was even possible to succeed, and you replied with a long comment that gave me a big kick up the arse. Without that I'm not sure I would have stuck with it, so thanks!

And to anyone reading this who is wondering whether to start the program: go for it. Doesn't matter how unfit you are right now, it will change your life.